Joy Ride; the journey

Joy Ride  Oil  12 x 24"

"Golden Blankets"
9 x 12"
 Oil

 Last Fall when I was plein air painting in Rocky Mountain National Park, a couple of horses & riders actually rode through my scene of Hallet Peak and the surrounding mountains.   I quickly grabbed my camera to get a reference photo and knew this could be an amazing painting.  The Aspen Groves were in their Autumn glory and it was a perfect, sunny Colorado morning.
I was happy with the finished "Golden Blankets" with it's thick impasto oil and warm Fall colors but in the back of my mind I wanted to make a studio painting with the horses.  I decided to try gamut mapping to create the new scene.  Gamut mapping helps you make a more cohesive painting by using a limited pallet.  I decided ahead of time what portion of the color wheel I would use, then made some color swatches from it to use for another reference during painting.

This is the portion of the color wheel I used for this image.  I examined my reference photo and narrowed down the colors I needed to make a more cohesive painting.

Once I had my gamut mapped out, I figured out how to mix my primaries which were orange, green & blue.  All of the colors had to fall within the gamut map but I could add white and black.

 I asked my oil painting students if they wanted to try to learn gamut mapping and they were game so this was painted almost entirely in class.  Although this is a challenging way of painting, it's also a learning tool that most did great at and appreciated knowing how.  I am starting up my solvent free oil painting classes on Thursday mornings mid September.   I do currently have an opening if you are interested in joining us.

 You can see more of my artwork online: 
Facebook page (open to the public) 

fineartamerica.com    

(a variety of my work: prints and cards available)
 artforconservation.com  
(limited edition canvas giclees)

marygiacomini.com

MGiacominiart.blogspot.com

Calming

I painted "Calming", a 16 x 16" original oil of a clear stream in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, in my Oil Painting Class this past Spring of 2016.  I worked on the painting almost exclusively in front of my students during class.  Our theme was 'running water' and  I had each student pick an image they wanted to paint.  We started with an underpainting which is in essense the drawing under the painting.  The next step is to nail those darks as it's easy to loose them in oil painting.  I slowly added the local color and tweaked until I felt it was finished.  This painting sat on my easel almost done for a couple of weeks.  This helped me review what was needed.  "Calming" is currently  available, but contact me to find out the current status.

I am starting up my Solvent Free Oil Painting class September 15.  We meet from 9-12AM on Thursdays.  My classes are small at  6-7 students and I  have an opening.

Stage 1; Underpainting drawing

Stage 2; getting those darks in

Stage 3: on my easel progression

Stage 4: Done!

 You can see more of my artwork online: 
Facebook page (open to the public) 

fineartamerica.com    

(a variety of my work: prints and cards available)
 artforconservation.com  
(limited edition canvas giclees)

marygiacomini.com

MGiacominiart.blogspot.com

The Milner-Schwarz house; plein air

In Loveland, Colorado we have a historic treasure: The Milner-Schwarz house.  The Loveland Historical Society has lovingly restored this 1873 brick home and it is now open for the public to enjoy. 

 I have had the pleasure of plein air painting this house a couple of times now.  This  summer, I painted this first original oil, "Little House on the Prairie".   I kept thinking off what it might have been like to live there 140 years ago while I was painting.  They have brought in an old windmill which I wanted to include in my painting.  I noticed the early morning shadow of the windmill on the brick home so decided to capture that.  When I plein air paint, I always try to capture the shadows first as they are fleeting.  This was especially important in this composition as I watched it moved across the house rather 

quickly. 

In the second painting, "Mrs. Milner's Irises", I was draw to the  colorful blooming irises in front of the classic front porch.  The Loveland Historical Society has also planted flower & vegetable gardens around the house along with fruit trees. This painting has some impasto.

These paintings are both currently available for purchase. Contact me for more information.

Little House on the Prairie

Mrs. Milner's Irises

 You can see more of my artwork online: 
Facebook page (open to the public) 

fineartamerica.com    

(a variety of my work: prints and cards available)
 artforconservation.com  
(limited edition canvas giclees)

marygiacomini.com

MGiacominiart.blogspot.com